What to know if your travel plans are impacted by the FAA’s flight cancellations

U.S. airlines cut flights as FAA eases strain on unpaid air traffic controllers during shutdown, causing delays and cancellations at major airports.

If you have upcoming travel plans anytime soon, you might notice fewer options on the airport’s departure board.

Airlines are scaling back flights at dozens of major U.S. airports to ease the pressure on air traffic controllers, who have been working unpaid and under intense strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the decision is necessary to keep travelers safe. Many controllers have been putting in long hours and mandatory overtime while lawmakers are at a standstill over how to reopen the government.

Major hubs like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are among those affected, and the ripple effects could mean more cancellations, longer delays and fuller flights for travelers across the country. The cutbacks will impact hundreds if not thousands of flights daily.

Here’s what to know about the FAA’s order — and what you can do if your plans are disrupted:

Is my airport on the list?

There’s a good chance it is. The list spans more than two dozen states.

It includes the country’s busiest airport — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia — and the main airports in Boston, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco and Salt Lake City.